JPH06505652A - walking aid - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] walking aid The present invention enables patients with spinal symptoms such as bilateral lower limb paralysis and quadriplegia to walk or move. Concerning walking aids suitable for use.

Until now, all such walking aids have been made of rigid materials, usually made of metal such as aluminium. It consisted of leg supports, back supports, and thoracic supports interconnected by straight bands. leg Support devices and back and thoracic supports are usually made from molded plastic materials. Ta. A feature of such conventional walking aids is that the lumbar and thoracic supports are located in the buttocks area. It was rotatably attached to the leg support device by a pair of pivot joints located at the That is. With the installation of a hip pivot joint or hinge, the patient can now walk. A considerable amount of stress is concentrated on the buttock pivot joint when swinging from side to side, which is an essential part of the This was confirmed. This means that certain hip pivot joints may Bearings that support weight and are used in buttock pivot joints and especially pivot joints means subjecting the housing to significant bending movements. This is the bearing housing This results in frequent damage to the walking aids and therefore the conventional walking aids mentioned above require frequent maintenance, repair or or required replacement.

One of the above-mentioned types of conventional walking aids is that the leg support device is a foot support, knee joint support. In the UK as PARAWALKER, which includes braces and thigh supports. It is known as Other conventional walking aids of the type mentioned above have leg support devices that support the foot and American LUISIANA, which includes a shin brace and a thigh brace. Ru.

Other conventional walking aids originate from Germany and are interconnected by vertical metal arms. A pair of leg members, each with a knee joint and thigh support made from leather straps. Contains. There is also a flexible lumbar harness connected to a pair of upper thigh supports for each leg member. Contains Upper thigh supports are separated from each other by spacer plates . A pair of rods are also provided, each attached to an adjacent lower leg member. each rod is rotatably attached to the spacer plate at its upper end. to this structure , each leg member is attached to a spacer plate, thus simulating the walking action. It is rotatably attached to the spacer plate for reciprocating motion. deer However, this German walking aid is designed to help patients with lower limb or quadriplegia. Bearings are installed between the spacer plate and each leg member, which is necessary for do not have. The main reason for installing spacer plates is to keep the legs apart so that they do not touch each other. It was for a reason.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a walking aid capable of alleviating the disadvantages of the prior art discussed above. It is to provide.

The walking aid of the present invention includes a torso support member and a pair of leg support members, each of which has a torso support member and a pair of leg support members. may be pivoted independently relative to each other by means of central or supported pivots. are interconnected.

The torso support member may be of any suitable type and may therefore be rigid or flexible. good In one particular embodiment, the torso support member includes a back support member. Appropriately The back support member comprises a back frame having a plurality of frame members. one preference In a new form, the back support member has a rear flare extending away from the central pivot means. can include a arm member. Preferably the rear frame member is substantially horizontal or Slightly upwards horizontally and then upwards vertically to correspond to the contours of the patient's back. It extends to The thoracic bracket or frame member may be curved or flat. It can be attached to the upper end of a frame member which may have an arc shape. chest bracket The kit can have opposite ends interconnected by chest belts or flexible bands. Wear.

However, the above structure is not required, so the rear frame member supports the patient's back. may have a cross member attached to it for support at any suitable location . Alternative 6, the rear frame member may be bifurcated if desired.

The leg support member may be of any suitable type, including leg support frames capable of supporting both the thigh and shin. However, the leg support member may include a frame or leg support bracket. , as used in the above-mentioned PARAWALKER or LUISIANA. from a mounting member that can be attached to a relevant leg support, such as a leg calibus. You can simply be. The mounting member instead holds a mating plug member. or the associated leg support member protrusion into a push-fit or interference fit relationship. Includes a housing or casing, which is a suitable socket member for mounting. You can Instead, if the fitting parts of the mounting member and leg calibus are mutually If it is necessary to provide connecting fasteners (e.g. screws or rivets), Lip means or other suitable attachment means may be used.

The pivot means preferably includes a bearing housing and an associated leg support member. It consists of a pair of mutually independent bearings so that it can move independently from the other. The bearing is May be of any suitable type, such as ball bearings or roller bearings or bushings. Includes rolling element bearings such as plain bearings containing shings.

The bearing housing may be tubular, with balls suitably interposed therebetween. Includes an inner race or casing and an outer race or casing. Ru. The outer casing fits very snugly within the suitably tubular bearing housing. or interference fit.

The tubular bearing housing may be of any suitable type, but may be arcuate or A circular inner surface can be grown. Is that the outer surface of the tubular bearing housing? at least one stop and preferably a plurality of stops extending outwardly from the prevents the leg supports from coming into contact with each other, thus allowing unimpeded movement of the patient. Make it easier.

It also helps ensure proper balance when the patient is in an upright position using the walking aid of the present invention. In order to limit the respective backward movement of the leg support members so as to make it possible to achieve There are also means for. Without such control measures, the patient cannot maintain proper balance position. or using a walking cane or other support placed far back to provide a point of balance. It would be necessary to do so. A suitable form of control means is the rearward facing of the tubular housing. each leg support member including one or more stops that engage the stops of the leg support member. However However, in other alternatives, such limiting means may be each leg support having a suitably positioned abutment projection for contacting the mating projection of the frame member; It can consist of members. Other possible constructions include tubular bearing housings The rings are suitably positioned to engage each edge of the leg support at the point of balance. It can have an abutment member or a stop.

In addition, mounting means are provided for mounting each leg support member to the tubular bearing housing. It will be done. This is a fastener such as a nut and bolt or a suitable type of clip. including the use of Preferably, the attachment means attach each bearing associated with an adjacent leg support member. Also used for installation in bearing holes/magnet jigs.

In another embodiment of the invention, the torso support means is carried by the patient around his waist. modified to consist of a harness or even more suitably a belt to be worn; Therefore, a back frame having a plurality of frame members can be omitted. to this Regarding the It has been established that it is desirable to avoid contact with relevant pressure points in these areas. Ta. With these points in mind, the walking aid of the present invention has the above-mentioned center or support support. a pivot means, a waist belt attached to the pivot means, and a pair as discussed above. A leg support member may be included.

In this embodiment of the invention, the body support member has said pivot means adjacent to the support bar. It can be used to support it in any desired position. Each pair of leg members is a pair. mounting members, each of which may include a Calibus or the previously mentioned KAFO3 associated leg supports, such as dedicated leg supports (i.e. knee-ankle monopedal orthotics); Can be attached to the carrier.

Suitably in this embodiment, the support pivot means are attached to each of the leg attachment members. can include a multi-axle axle. In this construction, each leg attachment member has a hollow head or can include an upper part, so that the axle is located within each class or upper part. It can extend through aligned bores or passageways. Preferably, each inner hole or within the internal passageway, molded or otherwise attached to an adjacent internal bore or internal passageway. can be attached, suitably plastic material or ceramic material or gold A plain bearing or bushing made of metallic material is provided. Bush or if necessary Suitably omit plain bearings and allow rotational movement by associated leg mounting members. May be replaced by adjusted or modified internal passages or bore abutment surfaces .

The torso support means may also include one or more connecting members between the support bar pivot means and the belt. I can do that. In one suitable construction, the connecting member may be welded, sewn, or provided with a suitable attachment. Fixed mounting, including looping through apertures or slots in the belt. including a connecting strip that can be attached to the belt in any suitable manner, such as with a Can be done.

The form of this latter connection can also be adjustable. Each connection band supports a pivot It can also be attached to the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the support pivot means may include a bearing support member; attached to each of the connecting strips in any suitable manner, for example by sewing or welding. can be used. However, the attachment between the bearing support member and each connection band is adjustable. It is preferable that each connecting band is connected to an associated opening in the bearing support member. or loop through the slot and the free end of the connection strip with a Velcro interconnect or Attached to the rest of the strap by buckles or other adjustable attachments.

If desired, the adjustable mounting between each connecting band and the bearing support member can be replaced with a fixed mounting. and instead an adjustable mounting between each connecting strip and the support belt mentioned above. You may also use attachment. However, the former structure is preferred.

The bearing support member may include a substantially inverted U-shaped member, with a connecting band to the base of the U. installation, and the axle can be supported by a bore or opening in the U-shaped arm. Wear.

In other embodiments, the inguinal zones may intersect or cross over and Therefore, one groin band attached to the right side of the waist belt is attached to the left leg support member when in use. The groin belt attached to the left side of the waist belt is attached to the right leg support member. It may be possible to do so.

Regarding the above embodiment, both leg support members can be provided with support loops.

In addition, the wearer or user of the walking aid of the present invention may A releasable locking means may be provided for attachment to the FOS. locking hand The steps may be of any suitable type and are preferably capable of moving in a straight line. and preferably by actuation of a releasable member pivoting from a locked position to an unlocked position. Snap-on locking system for easy release.

Reference will now be made to preferred embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show the PAA RAWA LKER and LUISIANA equipment. 1 illustrates the previously described prior art walking aid comprising:

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first type of walking aid according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the walking aid shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a second type of walking aid according to the invention, omitting the back support member. It is a diagram.

FIG. 6 shows a third type of walking aid according to the invention, similar to that shown in FIG. This is a diagram.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the walking aid shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the walking aid shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the cam trigger and the track for engagement shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cam trigger.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the cam trigger.

In the PARAWALKER device 10 shown in FIG. 1, the foot support 12. knee support A leg caliper 11 is included which includes a body 13 and a rear leg support 14. back Also shown are a chest support 15 and a thoracic support 16. The band 17 connects the foot support 12 and the knee. The supports 13 are interconnected. Band 18 connects chest support 16 and back support 15 to each other. Continue.

In the LUISIANA device shown in FIG. 2 and to each other by means of a strap 24 attached to the upper leg support 23 by means of a fitting 26. Includes a leg caliper 21 including a foot support 22 and an upper leg support 23 connected to each other. There is. Also, from the washer 28 and the pivot joint 29 which are separated from each other and are in the release position. A knee joint 27 is also shown. In the locked position, the washer 28 is a pivot joint. 29. Also, a buttock joint 30, a back support 31. chest support 32, and Also shown is a band 33A interconnecting thoracic support 32 and back support 31. Ma Activation cables 33 and 34 are also shown which work with the hip joint 30.

In FIG. 3, the walking aid 40 of the present invention includes a bearing housing 41 and a leg mounting member 4. 2. a back support member 43 in the form of a rear frame member and a chest belt (not shown); It includes a chest bracket 44 having a mounting member 46 associated therewith for. leg The attachment member is shown attached to the leg caliper 21 already described in Figure 2 above. Ru. However, the leg caliper 11 shown in FIG. It will be appreciated that the mounting member 42 can be attached to the mounting member 42.

Alternatively, the leg caliper can be integral with the leg attachment member 42, so that the Ming's walking aids include a mounting member that excludes leg calipers or a mounting member and leg that do not include leg calipers. Contains the Calibus assembly.

FIG. 4 shows the walking aid 40 of the present invention in detail. Tubular housing 4 1 each extend the entire width of the housing 41, but it is recognized that this is not required. It has a rear stop 45 and a front stop 47. of the bearing housing 41 The inner hole 48 has a bolt 49, an inner race 51, an outer race 52 and a space. A bearing 50 having a servo 53 is housed therein. The bolts 49 are pulled together within the bore 48. A pair of bearings 50 are provided that are separated and function independently of each other. Bolt 49 screw Also shown is a nut 54 that can engage end 55. The outer race 52 of each bearing 50 is A snug or interference fit is provided in the inner hole 48 . Remove bolt 49 as shown. It extends through an alignment aperture 56 in attachment member 42 .

Each attachment member 42 has a tubular housing to achieve the previously described balance point. An adjustable stop 57 is provided which can engage the rear stop 45 of the tag 41.

A leg calibus can be attached to a selected one of openings 58 or 59. back Support member 43 can be formed from separate parts if desired, and if appropriate Then connections can be made at positions 60 and 61. to the back support member 43 The position of the thoracic bracket 44 in relation to the fixture 6 can also be coupled into the mounting slot 63. 2, it can be adjusted freely.

Figure 5 shows a buckle 71 and a bell for adjustment suitable to be worn around the waist. A girth 70 is shown having black fittings 72 and 73. This is what you want If not, a conventional buckle assembly including a buckle tongue that engages a selected hole in the belt. Can be replaced by an assembly. Also attached to the belt 70 at 75 A connection or groin band 74 is also shown. Each connecting belt 74 is at 78 A loop 76 with a free end 77 attached to the remainder of the band 74 via a Velcro attachment. Contains. This provides the adjustable mounting mentioned above. This tightens the belt 74. the patient wearing this walking aid can be stabilized in an upright position. Make it.

Also, the lower part has aligned openings 85, 86 and 87 for the retention of the axle 88. A bearing support member 80 is shown having projections 82, 83 and 84 depending thereon. Ru. In one protrusion 82 an opening 85 is formed which holds the associated end of the axle 88. A blind hole can be provided. The axle 88 is attached to the protrusion 83 by a penetrating screw (not shown). to hold it in the desired position in protrusions 82, 83 and 84, or in protrusion 84. A threaded end (not shown) may be provided to engage internal threads (not shown) of the holder.

Each leg member 90 may be molded into a respective bore 92 or provided with an interference fit or other suitable fit thereto. The interior can be lined with plain bearings or bushings 93 mounted by It has an elongated upper portion 91 having an aperture 92 therein.

FIG. 6 shows a modified walking aid of the present invention when compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. Ru. The waist belt 100 has a buckle 101 and a Velcro attachment part 10 for adjustment. 2 and 103. Groin band 104 is sewn at 106 and 107. or other attachment types, respectively, to the waist belt 100. Inguinal zone 10 4 and 105 intersect or cross at 108, and the right hand band is the left support member. It becomes a loop through the loop 109 attached to 100, and the left hand band 105 supports the right leg. They pass through the loop 111 attached to the member 112 and abut each other to form a loop. . The free end of each strip 104 and 105 is secured by Velcro or other suitable attachment. It can be attached to the band at 108A and 108B.

The reason for this crossover is that by twisting the body, for example to the right, this 4 to help the left leg move forward.In a similar manner, the body When twisting to the left, the right leg is helped to move forward. The natural rotation of the body is twisting movement. because it generates movement and this is used to support rhythmic locomotion. A crisscross is preferred.

The walking aid of the invention is based on hip-guided orthopedics or pendulum effect and is If there is a level disturbance, the criss-cross is the twist of the torso, but there is no pendulum inertia. It will not help you except when climbing boards or stairs that push the legs forward. You should be careful. However, high level When wearing a wide belt, rotation of the upper body up to shoulder height, especially in quadriplegia, Energy transferred from the upper body during the rotation through bands 104 and 105 to bearing 113 Ghee apparently helps with walking. Belt 100 also prevents spinal injuries in many cases. people who have lost muscle control in the gastric area, 7 and 8 provide excellent full body support, leg support members 110 and 112 are pivotable. Figure 113 shows a modified bearing means 113 for use in the present invention, freely mounted. Show. The bearing means 113 includes an axle bolt 114, a spacer 115, and a washer 11. 8, and a locking nut 119 threadedly engaged at 120 to the bolt 114. I'm reading. Bush 116 can assume the role of a thrust bearing. each leg Support members 110 and 11.2 are for holding bearings 113 and bolts 114. includes inner bores 121 and 122. Distance between support members 110 and 112 It will be appreciated that a number of different spacers 115 can be used to adjust the Probably. This allows different users to adapt the walking aid of the invention. Will. This is because some lower limb paralysis have varying levels of thigh muscle degeneration. Ru.

Furthermore, a releasable locking means 1 is provided between each support member 110 and 112 and the KAFO 8. 23 can be provided. The locking means is a cam trigger or release member 124, or an opening. 126 and 127 with a central opening 128 and an upper shallow protrusion 129 A cover member 125 is included. Aperture 128 houses trigger 124 and protrusion 128 129 comes into contact with the trigger 124 as shown in FIG. In addition, the upper and lower openings 1 31 and 132, slot 133, cam track 134, and cam spring 137 and and a cam retaining screw 138 which also extends through an opening 139 in the cam trigger 124. a slide member 130 having a shaft 135 having a retaining passage 136 for It is shown. A slide spring 140 for urging the slide member 130 is also provided. available.

The leg support member 112 includes a cam trigger 124, a cover member 125, a slide 130 and It includes an elongated recess 141 for holding the relevant parts mentioned above. opening 1 42 and 143, opening 144 for retention of retaining screw 138 and arm 11 2 to the cover member 125; and 146 are shown. Recess 141 also includes a surrounding flange 148. Ru.

KAFO3 mounting member 149 has two slots 152 and 153, respectively. Includes studs 150 and 151. Each stud has an aligned opening 142 , 131 and 126, and 143, 132 and 127, respectively. Ma KAFO3 mounting openings 154 and 155 are also included. Mounting openings 154 and 1 The position of 55 is not only in the width direction with respect to the enlarged part 155A, but also in the mounting part if necessary. It will be appreciated that there is also variation in the longitudinal direction with respect to the material 149. This is a bearing 113 can be moved according to the user's physique.

In actuation of the releasable locking means 123, the cam trigger 124 is shown in solid lines in FIG. It can be rotated from the locked position shown by the dotted line to the unlocked position shown by the dotted line. cam trigger 124 engages with the track 134 in the locking position, and is held in this position by the bias of the spring 137. There is a curved protrusion 156 that is held in place. Positioning ribs 156A are also provided. , and the track 134 is connected to the trigger stop, as best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10. 156B and a mounting plate 156C. Rotate to unlocked position At this time, the protrusion rides on the abutting rib 157 and is also biased by the spring 137. It is held on plateau 158. When the cam trigger 124 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position , the spring 140 moves the slide member 130 so that the slide member moves into the slot. 152 and 153, thereby releasing member 149. cam trigger 140 When the slide member is moved to the locked position, the spring 140 causes the slide member to move into the slot 152 and 153 and thereby lock member 149 to leg support member 112. Push the guide member 130 upward.

From the above, the walking aid of the present invention has substantial advantages over the prior art described above. will be allowed to provide. These profits are as follows.

1. The bearing housing can be placed in the support rod area of the user and therefore the use It is very comfortable for people and is not visible to the naked eye, especially when wearing clothing.

Z　If the walking aid of the present invention is made of lightweight plastic material, it can be It is lightweight and considerably lighter than the prior art devices previously described. For example, the original Compared to the PARAWALKER device, which weighs approximately 10 kg, Ming's walking aid has a It weighs approximately 4Kg.

3. The walking aid of the present invention is extremely simple and efficient to use, overcoming the complexity of the prior art. does not have. This makes production cheaper.

4. The walking aid of the present invention uses a series of interfitting modules or standard parts. It is possible to manufacture it by In this regard, the user must use the leg calibus while sitting. Each can be easily attached to a leg support member or a leg attachment member.

5. The installation of a central pivot joint in the support area not only hides the bearing, but also Reduce the stress that existed in the technical equipment. This is the cost of maintenance, repair or replacement. Reduce. As mentioned above, the prior art device concentrates the entire force of one leg on one hip joint. 6. The walking aid of the present invention is made entirely of plastic material. It can be made from injection molded, compression molded or other forms of plastic. Make it suitable for manufacturing by molding processes. This is not the case in the prior art Ta.

7. Waist belt, groin or connecting band, supporting keyaki pivot or bearing, and legs The combination of support members provides a cohesive walking aid for patients suffering from spinal cord injuries. and have the aforementioned benefits.

Submission of translation of written amendment (Article 184-8 of the Patent Act)

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. a torso support member and a central or supporting member such that each member can rotate independently with respect to the other; A walking aid having a pair of leg support members interconnected by rod pivot means. 2. The walking aid according to claim 1, wherein the torso support member includes a back support member. 3. The torso support member is a waist belt, and the waist belt is connected to the support rod rotation means. 2. The walking aid of claim 1, comprising one or more interconnecting groin bands. 4. Each leg support member attaches to a leg caliper or knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFOS). The multi-row auxiliary tool according to claim 1, wherein the multi-row auxiliary tool is attached. 5. The support rod pivot means connects the bearing housing and a pair of mutually independent bearings. The walking aid according to claim 1, comprising: 6. The support rod pivot means includes an axle attached to each of the leg support members and The walking aid according to claim 1, further comprising bearing means between the leg support member and the adjacent portion of the axle. . 7. A support rod pivot means is attached to said body support member by a plurality of connecting bands. The walking aid according to claim 6, further comprising a bearing support member. 8. The groin bands intersect at a common attachment point adjacent to said support bar pivot means. 4. The walking aid according to claim 3, which has a criss-cross or a criss-cross pattern. 9. The respective free end of each groin band is looped over the fixture on each leg support member. The walking aid according to claim 8. 10. a releasable engagement between each leg support member and the associated leg caliper or KAFOS; The walking aid according to claim 4, further comprising a stop means. 11. Each leg support member has a mounting section that attaches to the adjacent leg caliper or KAFOS. and releasable locking means attaching each attachment member to the associated leg support member. The walking aid according to claim 10. 12. The releasable locking means is adapted to release or attach adjacent attachment members. by means of a cam trigger which causes linear movement of the sliding member in relation to each leg support member. The walking aid according to claim 11, which is operated by: